The present invention relates to a method for simultaneously disinfecting and purifying liquids and gasses. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for disinfecting and purifying liquids and gasses by passing the liquids and/or gasses through a reactor of a compounded concentrator geometry, in particular, a compounded parabolic concentrator geometry, and simultaneously concentrating a plurality of launched and/or delivered, and/or diversified energies in motion into a specific predetermined inner space of the reactor to form a high energy density zone. The energies include acoustic and/or ultrasonic transient cavitation and electromagnetic energy from a variety of ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., ultra-violet, visible, infra-red, microwave etc.).
The inner surface of the reactor is preferably covered by a thin layer of photo-catalyst such as titanium oxide and the inner surface is optionally grooved, or sub-wavelength synthesized to have a predetermined holographic grooving pattern to facilitate wavelength dependent reflection and/or refraction and/or diffraction or any combination thereof.
The present invention further relates to a concentrator for use in the above method (hereinafter called hydrodynamic Compounded Parabolic Concentrator, or HDCPC) and to arrays of such concentrators interconnected either serially or in parallel or in a combination thereof.
Global need for efficient water disinfecting technologies is indisputable. Disinfecting technologies favor UV technology over the use of disinfecting chemicals, due to strict requirements for disinfectants and disinfecting by-products. UV light produced by conventional lamps is the principle means for generating UV energy with its non-residual effects creating no harmful compounding volumes (e.g. in comparison with chlorinating processes). These lamps are arranged in banks of lamps, often immersed in channels (or reactors) each hosting a large number of the lamps. The lamps, (such as mercury arc and vapor lamps, require expensive periodical replacement and maintenance. Current limitation imposed by the use of conventional lamp based reactors stem from their inability to combat colloidal deposits and/or hard water deposits efficiently. Further more, the use of protecting sleeves (e.g. quartz sleeves that are known for their ability to transmit deep UV of 200 nm to 320 nm) to ensure adequate protection for the lamps increases the cost further, often requiring allocation of additional resources as well as making it hard for designers, producers and/or end users to take advantage of an optical or acoustic concentrator orientation for reactors. The present invention is not so limited, and can be used for a wide variety of disinfecting, neutralizing, dissolving and deodorizing applications where liquids or gasses are to be treated.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a highly efficient method for disinfecting and purifying liquids and gasses by passing liquids and/or gasses through a compounded concentrator and simultaneously concentrating diversified electromagnetic and acoustic, ultrasonic (transient cavitation) energies into a high energy density and concentration zone where disinfecting or inactivation of DNA and RNA replication sequences (e.g. in noxious microorganisms) together with dissolving and neutralizing and deodorizing (e.g. organic and non organic compounds) of pollutants and polluted media take place.
An optically primitive form of non-imaging light concentrator, the light cone, has been used for many years [(Holter et al. (1962)]. During the years, the simple cone type optical concentrator has been evolved into complex structures that are more efficient, e.g. Compound Parabolic Concentrator (hereinafter called CPC), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,108, or a Compounded Ellipsoidal Concentrator (hereinafter called CEC). Optical concentrators, such as CPC, have already demonstrated highly efficient harnessing and concentrating of solar energy collection, concentration, conversion and are well documented in fiber coupling applications.
Acoustic concentrators have been used for generations musical instruments such as the horn, flute, organ, and trumpet as well as other instruments. Acoustic geometrical concentration in buildings, temples, churches and other architectural structures has also been observed.
Cone shape interfaces for concentrating flows of liquids and gasses through particular conduit or chamber cross sections exist in many hydraulic and/or pneumatic system configurations.
The above mentioned optical and acoustic geometrical concentrators are used for separate purposes, i.e., for light concentration in optical concentrators and acoustic concentration and/or amplification in acoustic concentrators, but have not been used for both purposes simultaneously to treat liquids or gasses flowing through the concentrators. Furthermore, the above mentioned concentrators have never been used as hydrodynamic flow concentrators. More specifically, never before has a compounded concentrator been used at the same time to enhance liquid and gas flows and to concentrate electromagnetic and acoustic energies. The electromagnetic energy can be in any range of the electromagnetic spectrum, e.g. microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet etc., and the acoustic energy can be of any suitable frequency.
Surprisingly, it was found in the present invention, that using a compound concentrator as a concentrator or reactor in which both electromagnetic and acoustic energies interact while passing at the same time liquids and gasses through the reactor (having a single concentrator, and/or multi stage concentrator arrays) shaped reactor, enables disinfecting, and/or deodorizing and/or purification of the gasses and liquids with very high throughput efficiencies.
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cabsorptionxe2x80x9d is the process by which substances in gaseous, liquid or solid form dissolve or mix with other substances (ASCE, 1985).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cadsorptionxe2x80x9d is the adherence of gas molecules, ions, or molecules in a solution to the surface of solids (ASCEW, 1985).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cadsorption isothermxe2x80x9d is a graphical representation of the relationship between the bulk activity of adsorbate and the amount adsorbed at a constant temperature (after Stumm and Morgan, 1981).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cadvectionxe2x80x9d is the process whereby solutes are transported by the bulk mass of flowing fluid (Freeze and Cherry, 1979).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cair-space-ratioxe2x80x9d is the ratio of (a) the volume of water that can be drained from saturated soil or rock under the action of gravity to (b) the total volume of voids (ASTM, 1980).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9canisotropyxe2x80x9d is the condition of having different properties in different directions (AGI, 1980).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9canisotropic massxe2x80x9d is a mass having different properties in different directions at any given point (ASTM, 1980).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9caquicludexe2x80x9d is a hydrogeologic unit which, although porous and capable of storing water, does not transmit water at rates sufficient to furnish an appreciable supply for a well or spring (after WMO, 1974).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9caquiferxe2x80x9d means a formation, a group of formations, or part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs (after Lohman et al., 1972) or a geologic formation, group of formations, or part of a formation capable of yielding a significant amount of ground water to wells or springs. Any saturated zone created by uranium or thorium recovery operations would not be considered an aquifer, unless the zone is or potentially is a) hydraulically interconnected to a natural aquifer, b) capable of discharge to surface water, or c) reasonably accessible because of migration beyond the vertical projection of the boundary of the land transferred for long-term government ownership and care (10 CFR Part 40 Appendix A).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9caquifer systemxe2x80x9d is a body of permeable and poorly permeable material that functions regionally as a water-yielding unit; the body comprises two or more permeable beds separated at least locally by confining beds that impede ground water movement but do not greatly affect the regional hydraulic continuity of the system and includes both saturated and unsaturated parts of permeable material (after ASCE, 1985).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9caquifer testxe2x80x9d is a test to determine hydraulic properties of the aquifer involving the withdrawal of measured quantities of water from addition of water to a well and the measurement of resulting changes in head in the aquifer both during and after the period of discharge or additions (ASCE, 1985).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cquifugexe2x80x9d means a hydrogeologic unit which has no interconnected openings and, hence, cannot store or transmit water (after WMO, 1974). A rock that contains no interconnected openings or interstices and neither stores nor transmits water (ASCE, 1985).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cbaseline monitoringxe2x80x9d means the establishment and operation of a designed surveillance system for continuous or periodic measurements and recording of existing and changing conditions that will be compared with future observations (after NRC, 1982).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cbreakthrough curvexe2x80x9d is a plot of relative concentration verses times, where relative concentration is defined as C/Co where C is the concentration at a point in the ground water flow domain, and Co is the source concentration.
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cUV radiationxe2x80x9d is optical radiation of from about 200 nm-400 nm (e.g. are used to inactivate noxious microorganisms).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cvisible radiationxe2x80x9d is optical illumination of from 400 nm to 700 nm.
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cPDMSxe2x80x9d means polydimethilsiloxan which is used in elements of devices for use in the method of the present invention (e.g. to form elastic conduit and chambers).
In the context of the present invention, xe2x80x9cresolvedxe2x80x9d means synchronized to an accurate clock or time track (such as synchronizing laser, ultrasound probe, air flow, water flow, timed spectroscopy, oxygen mixing and melting time, radicals production and sustain time, pressure levels, peak power, pulse repetition rate, intensity, wavelength).
The present invention provides a method for disinfecting and purifying liquids and gasses comprising; a) passing the liquids or gasses through a reactor, or a combination of reactors, having a truncated compounded concentrator geometry; and b) simultaneously delivering and concentrating diversified electromagnetic and acoustic energies into a specific predetermined inner space of the compounded concentrator reactor, to form a high energy density zone in the reactor or reactors over a predetermined period of time.
The reactor according to the present invention is preferably a compounded parabolic concentrator or a compounded ellipsoidal concentrator.
According to the present invention, the inner surface of the reactor is coated with a thin layer of photocatalyst such as TiO2.
The electromagnetic energy delivered and concentrated into and inside the reactor can be of any range of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as ultra-violet, visible, infrared, microwave etc., or any combination thereof.
The acoustic energy is of any suitable frequency.
The radiation source or sources delivering the electromagnetic radiation can be enclosed within the reactor or can be external to the reactor or both. The radiation source/s can be a laser, e.g. either a continuous wave laser or a pulsed laser.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the radiation unit having a high intensity source of light is a flash lamp having a high repetition rate of from about 1 Hz to about 50 kHz, and a high peak power of from about 1 mJ to about 50 J.
The present invention further provides a method wherein the liquids and gasses are passed through an array of at least two compounded parabolic reactors connected serially or in parallel or in a combination thereof.
The present invention further provides a device for use in the method wherein the device is a hollow truncated compounded concentrator having a wider inlet and a narrow outlet to allow gasses and liquids to flow through and the concentrator has a specific predetermined optical concentrating geometry capable of concentrating light to form a high density energy zone therein. The concentrator""s inner shape can be a compound parabolic or ellipsoidal concentrator geometry or any other compounded concentrator geometry.
The inner surface of the device can be coated with photocatalyst, such as TiO2 (titanium oxide). The inner surface can be coated by plasma spattering coating the photocatalyst at a thickness of from about 0.8 micron to about 1000 micron and can be applied on a substrate layer of SiO2 of a thickness of from 0.8 micron to about 1500 micron, thus forming a predetermined refractive index.
The refractive index of the coated material can be lower than the refractive index of the liquids or gasses which flow in the reactor.
The coated layers can have a plurality of grooves that are arranged in parallel or in a grid configuration, wherein the distance between two successive grooves is less than the wavelength of light incident upon the grooves.
It is within the scope of the present invention the reactor is a part of a reverse osmosis system or a filtration system.
The present invention provides a novel methodology wherein a plurality of energies interact in space and time to produce a high energy density zone, which is especially beneficial for disinfecting, dissolving and neutralizing pollutants in liquids and gasses (such as water and air). Furthermore, the method of the present invention facilitates continuous interaction of diversity of energies to form a high energy density zone.
Such a zone is particularly useful for:
(a) Disinfecting liquids and gasses;
(b) Dissolving organic and/or non-organic compounds (e.g. such as polluting compounds); and
(c) Normalizing and/or Neutralizing liquids and gasses with a maximized perpetual output throughout.